The Issue

Each year approximately 800 new cesspools are built on the islands of Hawai’i, Maui, and Molokai. There are close to 90,000 cesspools in the state of Hawaii and roughly 11,000 reside on Maui. Being that cesspools are little more than a pit in which raw human sewage is disposed into, it’s about time the state of Hawaii devises a plan to end such primitive engineering.

Steps To Change Current Rules

The Department Of Health is proposing an amendment to change title 11, chapter 62, which will no longer allow new construction of cesspools in Hawaii. Additionally, the DOH is proposing rules to introduce a new tax credit program for upgrading qualified cesspools (Act 120).

Qualified Cesspools

To qualify under Act 120 the cesspool must be within 200 feet of the shoreline, perennial stream, wetland, or within a source water assessment area program. The state estimates there could be 6,600 qualified cesspools throughout the islands.

Tax Credit

The tax credit will be offered for five years, January 1st, 2016 – December 31st, 2020. Each year the state will allocate $5,000,000 towards the program. If eligible, homeowners can apply for as much as $10,000 towards each qualified cesspool.

Cesspool Locations On Maui

The DOH is working on the rules and hopes to broadcast them by the end of this year in order for the program to take effect in 2016.